Improvement in railroad-track scales



l; WEEKS.

Railroad-Track Scales.

Patented May 12, 1874.

afm/WMM; MV/@5) M Wu JOHN VEEKS, OF BUFFALO, N. Y1, ASSGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RGHT TO BUFFALO Se NIAGARA SCALE OOllIPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

lMPPsGVEEdENT- iN RAELRODTRAC SCALS.

pecixication forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,@6-5, dated May 12, 1574; applell filed July 26, 1873.

To all whom t may conce-ra:

le it known that I, JOHN EEKS, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of N ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-ifrack Scales, of which the following is a specieation:

The object of this invention is to provide a chair that will keep its position and prevent the pressing in of the earth and walls on either side of the pit of a railroad-track scale; and the invention consists in the construction and use of a combined wall and lever support, and made in one piece, as hereinafter described.

in the drawings, Figure l is a plan; Fig. 2, end elevation.

A A represent the side or timbers of the frame of a tiacl -seale, which are securelf,vv bolted to the stone wall or foundations l l, which inelose on two sides the scale-pit (l, which contains the weighin devices, (not neeessary to particularly specify.) rllhe main feature of this invention is the wall-bracing post or lever-chair l) set inside of and against the mason-work B, its upper end attached by bolts n. a to the frame or timber A, as shown, and its lower part formed into a foot or base, which is securely bolted to the stone foundation I), and which is held in position bv crosspieees c c, on which the stud-loops set. The upper part of these posts, of which there are several, their number depending somewhat en the length of the track-scale, is formed into a hook, d, on which one end of the transverse levers c is hung. rlhese hooks are east on the posts l). E is the usual track-platform, which rests on the weighing-levers o o.

My invention is very important in heavY platibrm-scales used for weighing cars, locomotives, &e., to prevent the side walls of these scales from pressing inward, as they now do, in consequence of outward pressure, caused by heavy trains or heavy teams ruiming alon side, making the ground tremble, and jarring down the earth, stones, (te, into the weighing pit, or forcing the side timbers of the frame against the platform and weighing 1n aehinery, thereby causing friction and preventing correct working.

lt has been customary in such scales to use a lever-support standing by itself, or to sus pend the scale from irons fastened to the wooden frame of the scale, and the side walls had to be anchored by outside posts or other devices.

lt is obvious that any movement or" the foundation wili derange the perpendicular and interfere with the proper action of the levers, and, therefore, the scale cannot operate prop erly or correctly; and when the weight is dependent on bolts or screws fastened to a wooden frame, they are verf,1 liable to break, besides he outside pressure against the timbers, as before mentioned.

ily my arrangement, the lever-posts bolted to the foundations l), and to the timbers A, cannot possibly be inclined either way, and avoids all the disadvantages of other constructions, besides perrormin g the double function of a combined lever and wall support.

l am aware that hangers having hooked upper ends have been hung from the end sills of a box containing the operating mechanism of a scale; but such is not my invention.

I claim- In a railroad or vother platform-scale, the supporting-standards D D, se 'ured to the foundation and sides of the pit O, and formed with a fulerum-hook, d, subst-antiallbY as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof l h avehereunto sign ed my name in the presence ol' two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN TVlGEh'S.

iilituessesz il'. R. BRAKE, T. il. lfrnsons. 

